Members of this Group are,
or should be familiar with our city's neglect and isolation of McMillan Park,
effectively erasing the memory from the public consciousness. This once elegant
and healing space was the first integrated park in DC and the people used it
regularly to get away from the concrete and heat of the city, to play and relax
on the green grass and many shade trees. It was, as one now aging
resident called it," ... Our Beach." After decades of
neglect a series of administrations attempted to "give away," this 20
acres of green to a cabal of maximum density developers, violating city
ordinances, regulations, and even Federal restrictions on it's use.

Our coalition, The McMillan Coalition for Sustainable
Agriculture and The Friends of McMillan Park, (FOM), along
with DC for Reasonable Development (DC FORD) filed an appeal in
opposition to the Zoning Commissions ruling in Superior Court. All three
judges unanimously agreed with us that the administration did not make the case
necessary to destroy the historic site and that their argument did not constitute
a, "... special merit exemption," from the Federal Covenants
placed upon the park when it was sold to the city.

Today, we are putting forth the basic concept of our plan
for a viable alternative to more concrete, and maximum density construction.
Setting forth the first discussion on how we can save the park and turn it into
a real community asset, combining enhanced quality of life as well as, a career
training center of excellence to train green high tech urban farmers.
McMillan will produce tons (yes, tons) of fresh green vegetables by using
high-tech lighting in the cool stable caverns beneath the park and we will
not need to touch one blade of grass, or cut down one tree to do it.

We can do this for an estimated one-fifth of the cost of the
current plan, a faster cash flow, and a much faster break even. The
park will produce valued food eagerly purchased by high end retail and
restaurants. This will generate substantial revenue. The park will
become economically sustainable and will make a significant contribution to the
tax base as well. Also, a portion of the production will go to SNAP
to help end food desserts here in the District. Depending upon how we use
the space, as much as 19 million pounds of vegetables and fish could be
produced here inside the beltway on an annual basis.

Finally, as to any perceived conflict of interest. My
company: The Family Fish Farms Network, Inc. will act as an honest broker
in the design and build. Upon completion, all of the equipment and facilities
will become the property and asset of the People of Ward 5 and/or The District
with every single citizen receiving one, non transferable share. This
will be a community owned enterprise. Operated by and for the Citizens.
We put this plan forward to the zoning commission who blatantly refused
to consider it. In the Judges ruling, Mr. Hood and the commission are
specifically directed to consider viable alternatives. We expect our plan
to be heard and considered along with others with creative ideas and
initiatives.

Jerry Peloquin

Founding AssociateThe McMillan Coalition for Sustainable Agriculture.A registered citizens
organization under the laws of the District of Columbia